Oatis Braxton Cobb Jr.

With calloused hands and a heart filled with loving memories, Oatis Braxton Cobb, Jr., 73, of Buffalo passed away at his home of 45 years. Born February 7, 1952 to Gladys Rae Coon and Oatis Braxton Cobb, Sr., he is survived by his wife of 48 years, Cathy Lynn (Martin) Cobb, his daughter Katrina Renea Harmon (Joe), his grandchildren Tyler Cobb, Hannah Cobb and Nathaniel Harmon, and his sister Sharon Kay Cobb Keen.
His heavenly homecoming reunited him with his son Nathan Matthew Cobb, his siblings James Robert, "Dotti" and Debbie, and many other cherished family and friends.
As a young boy, Oatis and his brother proudly served community neighbors with a bicycle newspaper route covering Hometown and Bancroft homes. He cherished the memory of being chosen by Charleston Newspapers to attend the Indy 500 for his hard work.
A 1970 graduate of Poca High School, he sacrificed and worked after school and summer breaks to make a little needed money rather than playing sports. After high school, he balanced work while taking night welding classes. He was short the tuition payment, but his instructor paid it forward for him to finish.
He was a proud blue-collar member of Pipefitters Local #625 and traveled with union brothers until shifting to the Institute Plant jobsite in 1988, and his "930 crew" buddies, in order to stay home and raise his children.
A family historian, he proudly tracked his ancestry back to the first settler, Henry Cobb of Kent, England. He traveled to Barnstable, Massachusetts several times where he was honored by the historical society when he placed a monument outlining our family heritage and the significant influence ancestry had within the town. He honored his father's WW2- USS Alderamin military service with several trips to DC and a contribution of a memorial plaque in the US Naval Museum.
Dozens of family Christmas pictures and home videos include him joyfully playing Santa Claus to suspecting nieces, nephews, church family and friends, and cheerily ringing his loud Christmas bell for all to hear.
Funeral service will be held at 1:00 P.M. on Monday, August 4th, 2025 at Raynes Funeral Home Eleanor with Pastor Joe Rogers, Pastor Joe Scarberry, and Pastor Fred Sparks officiating. Burial will follow in Haven of Rest Memory Gardens, Red House. The family will receive friends one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests tribute gifts be made to HospiceCare, 1606 Kanawha Blvd. W., Charleston, WV 25387 or online at hospicecarewv.org.